Talking with Artists- Genre 1

Bibliography

Cummings, Pat. 1992. Talking with Artists. New York: Bradbury Press. ISBN 0-02-724245-5

Plot Summary

In this book Pat Cummings had conversations with fourteen favorite children's book illustrators. When she would visit schools children always had questions for her about how she became an illustrator. Pat decided to ask the same eight questions of all the artists. The book is a compelation of how the artists share their stories about how they became illustrators. The one thing all of the artists had in common was their love to draw and they kept drawing all of their life.

Critical Analysis

Children will love looking at a picture of the illustrator as a child and as an adult. Every artist has a drawing that they did as a child with their age posted. There is also a picture from one of their published books with the medium that was used. The illustrators answer the same eight questions. All of the artists loved drawing as a child and continued to practice and practice. The other theme that seems to run throughout the book is that they get their ideas from everything they see around them. Tom Feelings says it best with his advice to "carry a sketchbook wherever you go because it's a record of what you're seeing and feeling". The back of the book has a glossary of terms that children may not be familiar with.

While reading this book I could not help but think about my own child who loves drawing. She loves to draw people. One Sunday in church I looked over and she was drawing the priest while he was giving his sermon. She would be encouraged by reading this book to continue what she is doing. She could see herself in these different artists.

Review Excerpt(s)

Horn Book Guide:1995 Nonfiction Rating 1, Outstanding, noteworthy in style, content, and/or illustration.

Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children. Honor Book United States

Connections

-For older students research many jobs available in the field of art.
-Have students choose another artist that is not in the book to find out more information about them.
-Great way to introduce the illustrator. Gather other books by this artist to compare their style of illustrating.
-Try out the medium that artist prefers in their drawings.